The California state court entered broad injunctions against the defendants, and the defendants agreed to immediately return any and all confidential documents in their possession. The former employees also publicly apologized to CoreLogic for their actions and acknowledged that they had breached their confidentiality obligations. In addition, the parties entered into confidential settlement agreements.
According to the CoreLogic complaint, filed in January 2014 by Hueston Hennigan LLP attorneys John Hueston, Moez Kaba and Eric Hayden, the five defendants, Brian Dixon, Nicole Herold, Khiem Hoang, Anthony Romano, and Paul Shiroma, all left CoreLogic within three months of each other in late 2013 and early 2014, and began working for competitor First American Financial Corporation. Immediately upon learning of the theft, Hueston Hennigan attorneys successfully obtained a temporary restraining order preventing any further access or use of the confidential documents.
Then, through computer forensics and aggressive discovery, the firm was able to refute defendants’ repeated denials of any wrongdoing. CoreLogic was able to develop a record that established these employees had misappropriated confidential and highly proprietary CoreLogic files. CoreLogic’s investigation also revealed that several of the employees later attempted to cover up evidence of their misdeeds. With this information, Hueston Hennigan successfully obtained a broad injunction and return of all of CoreLogic’s confidential documents in these employees’ possession without the necessity of going to trial.
Lead attorney John Hueston said, “This is a significant victory for CoreLogic and sets an example for other companies whose business depends on the creation and safeguarding of proprietary information.
“Trade secret theft is an increasingly important concern in the new economy, he continued, “and CoreLogic’s win demonstrates how a company can work effectively and efficiently with counsel to protect its intellectual property.”
Hueston Hennigan attorneys John Hueston, Moez Kaba, Eric Hayden, and Ellen Kenney represented CoreLogic.
